Computer training centre opened in Alankerni

[TamilNet, Sunday, 31 October 2004, 01:10 GMT]
With support from London-based expatriate organization TR TEC, Trincomalee branch of TECH,The Economic Consultancy House, a Non-Governmental Non-Profit Sharing Organization registered with the Government of Sri Lanka, Friday opened the seventh free computer-training centre in a remote Tamil village Alankerni, in Kinniya division in Trincomalee district. The centre is housed in Alankerni Vinayagar Maha Vidiyalayam.
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LTTE delegation meets John Hume

[TamilNet, Saturday, 30 October 2004, 14:46 GMT]
“Learning to live with diversity and respect for each other is the cornerstone of a meaningful democracy," said Social Democratic and Labor Party (SDLP) Leader, former Member of EU Parliament and Nobel Laureate, Mr. John Hume, in a meeting with the LTTE delegation led by its Head of Political Wing, S.P.Thamilchelvan, Friday, said LTTE sources in Ireland.


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HRCSL Commissioner visits Jaffna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 30 October 2004, 13:21 GMT]
Mr.S.Selvakumaran, a member of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) Saturday paid a visit to Jaffna and held talks with the political leadership of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Jaffna district. Mr.C.Ilamparithi, Jaffna district LTTE political head expressed dissatisfaction over the actions taken by the HRCSL in regard to the disappeared youths after the arrest by the Sri Lanka Army during 1996-1997 period during the discussion which was held at the HRCSL Jaffna regional office, human rights sources said.
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Akashi visits Trincomalee, meets community leaders

[TamilNet, Saturday, 30 October 2004, 11:53 GMT]
Mr.Yasushi Akashi, Japanese special peace envoy Saturday visited Trincomalee and held discussions with the delegations representing Tamils, Sinhalese and Muslims in the Trincomalee district separately at the residence of Parish Priest of Trincomalee St Mary's Cathedral. "Trincomalee district has showed to the world that there is a possibility for co-existence and co-operation between the three communities in Sri Lanka," said Mr.Akashi after the discussion.
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'Will reconsider meetings if civilians are harassed' - Kausalyan

[TamilNet, Saturday, 30 October 2004, 08:18 GMT]
''We explained to the Sri Lankan armed forces about the fear among civilians caused by the drastic increase in searching and checkpoints. We are very carefully considering the progress of these meetings in relation to these developments. If the harassment of civilians continue thus we would be compelled to reconsider our participation in these meetings'', said Mr. E. Kousalyan, head, political division of the Liberation Tigers for Batticaloa-Amparai, speaking to the press at the conclusion of a meeting in Batticaloa between LTTE and Sri Lankan armed forces Saturday.
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Ranil warns against altering Sri Lanka's constitution

[TamilNet, Friday, 29 October 2004, 16:30 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s opposition leader Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe said Friday that any attempt by President Chandrika Kumaratunga to alter the country’s constitution might encourage the Liberation Tigers to exercise the mandate obtained by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) at the last general elections to summon their own constituent assembly in the northeast. Addressing a seminar by the International Democratic Union-Asia Pacific Democratic Union at the Taj Samudra Hotel in downtown Colombo, he said: “it can really throw a spanner in the peace process."
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TECH opens district office in Mannar, donates Solar panels

[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 October 2004, 10:52 GMT]
The Economic Consultancy House (TECH), a Non-Governmental Non-Profit Sharing Organization registered with the Government of Sri Lanka, opened its Mannar district office in Aandankulam in Adampan district Wednesday, sources in Mannar said. During the event, four selected Mannar schools received photo-voltaic lighting systems obtained from funds donated by TECH branch in the US, organizers of the event said.
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LTTE delegation exchanges views on Peace in Dublin

[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 October 2004, 10:16 GMT]
Liberation Tigers delegation lead by Head of Political Wing, S.P.Thamilchelvan, met with Officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Ireland, led by Mr Connor Lenihan, Minister of State, in Dublin Thursday morning, LTTE sources from Ireland said. Later the delegation met officials at the Glencree Center for Reconciliation in Dublin.
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TNA delegation meets Akashi

[TamilNet, Thursday, 28 October 2004, 09:25 GMT]
The release of 4.5 billion dollars aid pledged at the Tokyo conference to Sri Lanka should not take place until the stalled peace talk with the Liberation Tigers resumes on the basis of Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA) proposals, delegation of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians told Japanese special peace envoy Mr.Yasushi Akashi during a discussion in Colombo Thursday, TNA sources said.
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LTTE delegation to meet Irish Foreign Ministry Officials

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 October 2004, 13:41 GMT]
Three members of LTTE Political Section, led by Head of Political Wing, S.P.Thamilchelvan arrived in Dublin, Ireland Thursday for talks with Officials from the Foreign Ministry of Irish Government, LTTE sources from Dublin told TamilNet.
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Akashi to meet JVP leaders

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 October 2004, 10:37 GMT]
Mr.Yasushi Akashi, Japanese special peace envoy who is scheduled to arrive in Colombo evening has agreed to meet the political leadership of the Sinhala nationalist-Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), major constituent of the United Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government, during his seven day stay in Sri Lanka, State run Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) reported in its news bulletin Wednesday.
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UNP against extension of Presidential term- Prof.Peiris

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 October 2004, 14:41 GMT]
UNP would take every possible step to stop Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumarathunge's move to extend her Presidency through a referendum by extra-constitutional means for another term, said UNP's media spokesman and former Constitutional Affairs Minister Professor G.L. Peiris addressing a press briefing in Colombo Tuesday.
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LTTE condemns the killing of Swiss national in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 October 2004, 10:10 GMT]
Warning that the perpetrators of the crime have in mind a ''criminal objective to disrupt the peace process'' and dismissing the allegation of involvement in the killing, LTTE in a Press Release issued on Tuesday accused a news report as being ''based on speculation and concoction of a story to discredit the LTTE''. The Press Release quoted further that the preliminary investigations conducted by the SLMM indicate that it is ''an individual criminal act which has no connection whatsoever with the LTTE''.
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Balasingham questions ‘Oslo Declaration’ in new book

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 October 2004, 09:31 GMT]
In a critical analysis of the Norwegian facilitated peace process in his new book ‘War and Peace,’ the LTTE’s theoretician, Mr. Anton Balasingham, calls into question the concept of the ‘Oslo Declaration.’ Mr. Balasingham points out that there was no specific proclamation titled the ‘Oslo Declaration’ on which many claims of the Tigers unconditional abandonment of the right to secession – i.e. external self-determination – are based.
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Akashi to visit Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 October 2004, 11:29 GMT]
Yasushi Akashi, Government of Japan's special peace envoy to Sri Lanka is to visit Sri Lanka Wednesday to meet with the leaders of Sri Lanka's main political parties and with the leaders of Liberation Tigers, said a press release from Embassy of Japan issued in Colombo Monday.
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Posters, gunmen threaten journalists in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 October 2004, 09:55 GMT]
Posters appeared in several parts of Batticaloa town Monday attacking the Liberation Tigers and warning local journalists against reporting on the LTTE. The posters are in the name of the paramilitary led by renegade LTTE commander Mr. Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan (Karuna). Meanwhile, the correspondent of a Tamil paper said that he was threatened by two gunmen Sunday evening around 6.30 in Batticaloa town. The paramilitary, 'Karuna Group' has been accused of murdering senior Tamil journalist Mr. Aiyathurai Nadesan in Batticaloa in May this year.
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Civil leaders want polling stations in LTTE held areas

[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 October 2004, 15:52 GMT]
Parliamentarians and representatives of civil groups Saturday at a discussion held at the YMCA Hall in Jaffna, on the proposed electoral reforms, requested that polling stations be located in the Liberation Tigers held areas in the northeast province in any future parliamentary and other elections, civil sources said. The discussion was organized by PAFFREL, an election-monitoring organizationwhich has its headquarters in Colombo.
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School to reopen after health scare forced closure

[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 October 2004, 14:15 GMT]
Poonthottam Educational Institute in Vavuniya district which was closed for more than a week after several teachers and students fell sick due to several health code violations at the school, is to open this Monday, Head of the School, Mr. Bernard announced. Students are asked to report to their school dormitaries by Sunday, according to school officials.
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LTTE delegation meets German Foreign Ministry Officials

[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 October 2004, 03:45 GMT]
Liberation Tigers delegation led by Head of Political Wing, S. P. Thamilchelvan met with State Secretary, German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Mr. Erich Stather, and Minister of State, Federal Foreign Office Ms. Kerstin Muller in meetings Thursday and Friday in Berlin, LTTE sources in Germany said. The delegation flew from Stockholm, Sweden, in a special airacraft that took them to German capital Berlin, Thursday morning.
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Maruthankerni villagers lack medical facilities

[TamilNet, Saturday, 23 October 2004, 00:05 GMT]
About five thousand families undergo hardships without medical facilities in their village Maruthankerni in Vadaramadarachchi east division in Jaffna district as the opening of the rural dispensary constructed with the funds allocated by the North East Community Restoration Development (NECORD) Project is being delayed due to the lethargy of provincial health ministry officials, civil sources complained.
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